0531 – Loudness Standards

2022.06.15 – 0531 – Loudness Standards

In a network or voice-over studio, a sound engineer will adjust your volume settings so the volume of voice is balanced with a similar level of those of other sources, be they of other guests or music. (In smaller studios or for podcasting and so on, you will of course have to do this yourself.)

A consistent level is necessary so the listener isn’t forced to keep increasing the volume themselves. It’s called ‘normalisation’. Imagine how annoying it would be if a radio station had the presenter at one sound level and then a piece of music at another, or if one podcast was at a different level to the next in playlist and so on. That’s why there is a recommended standard volume setting not only for each programme but also for the whole broadcast industry (and by default podcasts, video channels and other services such as Spotify and so on).

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.